I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to emergency recovery tools for rescuing trapped, human passengers after vehicular accidents. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automotive rescue tool system primarily for protecting against air bag detonation when deforming and bending dashboards (and other vehicle parts) during the emergency rescue of trapped accident victims.
II. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been recognized by those skilled in the art that crashed vehicles must be manipulated with the utmost in caution to free trapped passengers without further injuring them. As a result of high speed accidents and collisions, one or more of the vehicle occupants may be trapped within the wreckage. The trapped passengers often may be severely injured, so they must be removed with an abundance of caution. The rescue procedure must proceed slowly and deliberately to prevent injury or aggravation of accident-caused injuries. While the rescue activities must proceed safely, speed is highly desirable, since potentially life-saving medical attention for the injured may be required. The trapped or disabled occupants, and those emergency response personnel involved in the rescue activities, also face the omnipresent danger of fire or explosion, underlining the value of speed.
At the same time, to minimize secondary injuries caused after the accident, speed must be attenuated by prudence, to avoid for example, exploding those vehicle air bags which have not already detonated as a result of the accident. For safety reasons, modern vehicles are required to be equipped with a plurality of air bags that are supposed to protect vehicle occupants during collisions. In response to suitable predefined forces, these gas-operated xe2x80x9cbagsxe2x80x9d forcibly xe2x80x9cdetonate,xe2x80x9d expanding rapidly to provide a soft, impact absorbing cushion. Within a short period after firing, the air bag is supposed to deflate automatically. However, it is well recognized that typical collisions or damaging impacts do not always detonate or xe2x80x9cfirexe2x80x9d all of the vehicle""s air bags. Even after a serious accident or collision involving a modern vehicle, some of the air bags fail to fire. When the vehicle is thereafter subjected to bending, prying, pounding and other structural stresses applied to free the occupants, one or more air bags may suddenly and unpredictably detonate. A passenger trapped proximate an unexploded air bag in a wreck is seriously at risk. When a trapped and possibly-injured passenger is uncomfortably and haphazardly pinned behind the smashed dashboard of a wreck, for example, blows to the person caused by the inadvertent activation of an air bag can severely traumatize and further injure him.
In view of the almost universal incorporation of multiple air bags in modern vehicles, improved rescue hardware that prevents the detonation of un-spent airbags at the crash scene is desirable. Further, such a solution must be able to adapt itself into a variety of sizes and geometrical configurations to amicably handle the wide variety of vehicle shapes and sizes in use today.
One well known rescue tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,153 This reference shows a basic, forcible mechanical device often referred to as the xe2x80x9cJaws of Life.xe2x80x9d Such devices provide a means of forcibly cutting and deflecting bent and deformed vehicle parts to free trapped victims and provide an escape route. The device comprises a pair of rigid, cooperating pivoted jaws which can be activated hydraulically. When these jaws contact deformed metal parts, they are quickly deformed, cut and bent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,260 issued Jun. 20, 1995 provides an accident rescue tool characterized by strong and relatively inflexible steel components. The device comprises a supporting base to which a rigid lifting arm is pivoted the base. Chains interconnected with the lifting arm are connected at various ends to a vehicle component that is to be deflected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,029 disclosed an accident rescue tool in the form of a roller, comprising telescopic arms, a roller on a free end of one arm and a fixed roller on the free end of the other arm. The rigid and relatively heavy device is operated by chains associated with prior rescue tools, with the chains being supported by and coactive with the rollers.
None of the patents mentioned above or others known to me present a deformable and highly adaptable means for bending and deflecting crashed vehicles, which is specifically designed to provide protection against inadvertent safety air bag detonation.
This invention provides a flexible and highly maneuverable net system that can be applied to portions of a deformed, crashed vehicle to deflect critical parts to free trapped passengers. The system guards against air bags that may explosively detonated during rescue. The system can also be used to deflect certain bent or deformed parts, while at the same time constraining air bags.
Thus possible additional injuries or trauma caused by the sudden activation of previously-unfired air bags is avoided during rescue. This fact speeds up the entire rescue operation, while concurrently making it safer for both the trapped or injured vehicle occupants and the rescue team.
My rescue tool system is adapted to be installed at accident scenes to thereafter deflect deformed vehicle parts such as the dashboard, steering columns, and the like. A large, flexible preferably rectangular net is inherently configurable to the irregular, structural contour of the deformed vehicle, so that forces are distributed evenly. The net can be foldably transformed between a variety of irregular and random configurations that result after a crash, so that it can properly xe2x80x9ccoverxe2x80x9d various structural parts of crashed and deformed vehicles. The net thus firmly grasps target structures prior to being tensioned or pressured by external power-driven pulling or lifting apparatus.
The preferred net has a plurality of diametrically opposed corners from which outwardly extending draw straps extend. The net comprises interleaved, flexible lengths of reinforced polyester, which are assembled in a mutually orthogonal, woven pattern. The draw straps terminate in outer, buckles facilitating interconnection of the net draw ends externally of the crashed vehicle. The buckles also enable interconnection with conventional crash scene rescue tools. Optionally a smaller secondary net is deployed over the steering wheel to separately block the steering column air bag. It""s straps enable it to be structurally interconnected with the system.
The rescue system additionally comprises one or more draw hook assemblies adapted to extend between various portions of the net, and various exposed structures of the crashed vehicle. These draw bar assemblies may also be interconnected with the powered lifting apparatus etc. The draw hook assemblies mechanically link to the net so that it may be forcibly pulled by conventional, powered equipment in typical use by rescue personnel. Each draw hook assembly comprises a rigid clasp that receives and captivates a portion of the net when it is attached. The unique clasp comprises a unique, thin rectangular channel disposed between its two rigid, planar and parallel walls that non-destructively mates with a selected net portion. The clasp flexibly connects to an elongated, rigid draw hook, that terminates in a cradle supporting one or more smaller, auxiliary hooks. The draw hook cradle is protectively covered sealed by a rigid closure plate that prevents dislodgment of the auxiliary hooks, compensating for twisting and turning movements.
In operation, the smaller secondary net may be installed over the steering wheel or steering column to block the steering column air bag. The larger net may be flexibly, custom fitted within the vehicle, primarily proximate the dashboard to provide controllable gripping force which is distributed over the surface of the constrained structure. The draw strap ends of the large net are extended through the vehicle windshield area, and routed to the front of the vehicle, at which point they may be mechanically connected to various power lifting or pressure tools common to typical rescue teams. The net is further interconnected with the vehicle structure to be bent by interposing one or more of the draw hook assemblies at one or more desired strategic locations. The unique clasp channel insures non-destructive captivation of the net webbing, and the draw hooks evenly distribute pulling forces. As the net covers a large surface area, a plurality of air bags are covered.
Thus a basic object is to provide a rescue tool that guards against air bags when servicing a wrecked vehicle.
A similar object is to provide an air-bag constraining system that can also deform and deflect bent, crashed vehicle structures without detonating the vehicle airbags.
A related object is to protect the occupants within a crashed or deformed vehicle as they are rescued.
A basic object is to provide a flexible and adaptable rescue tool that can be readily connected to various deformed and randomly bent and smashed vehicle portions, to readily facilitate deflection of the steering column and other deformed parts.
A basic object is to provide a rescue tool of the character described that can be readily adapted to a variety of vehicle sizes and configurations.
Another basic object is to provide a rescue tool of the character described that permits removal and rescue of a trapped passengers through the windshield opening, or through other post-crash orifices that are available.
A related object is to simplify rescue operations.
More particularly, it is an object of my invention to prevent detonating air bags within the wrecked vehicle from contacting rapped passengers or rescue personnel.
A still further object of the my invention is to minimize the time required to safely rescue trapped occupants at accident scenes.
Another objective of my invention is to readily manipulate the deformed steering column of vehicle wrecks without injury from detonating air bags.
A still further object of my invention is to provide a tool of the character described which may be used with a wide variety of vehicles including small compact passenger cars, compacts, full sized cars, intermediates, and various trucks.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention, along with features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear or become apparent in the course of the following descriptive sections.